Chapter 22 Hidden Secrets “ Mom , Joshua … ” Wendy began , but the words got stuck in her throat . She didn’t know how to explain what was on her mind . “ Hmph ! Don’t even mention him ! The more I think about it , the angrier I get ! ” Maggie snapped . Locker and Leonard are already talking to the police . They’ll find him . This time , after all this trouble , I swear I’ll give him a good slap ! ” Maggie’s voice was filled with irritation . “ Go back to your room and rest! The storm’s here . No need to go to work ! ” Wendy opened her mouth again but stopped herself . Instead , she quietly turned toward her room . Just as she started to leave , she noticed Maddy lounging on the couch , casually watching TV . Without hesitation , Wendy grabbed her by the arm . “ Maddy , come with me ! ” “Huh ? Wendy ? What’s going on ? ” Maddy asked , startled . “ Come ! ” Wendy glared at her coldly . Seeing her sister’s anger , Maddy didn’t dare protest . Wendy’s temper always frightened her , so she quickly followed , not saying a word . As soon as they reached the third floor , Wendy held out her hand . “ Give me Joshua’s phone . “ What ? ” Maddy gasped , her eyes widening in shock . “ Now ! ” Wendy demanded as she glared at her . Maddy hesitated , flustered . “ Wendy , how do you know I have his phone ? About the whole phone thing … ” Maddy started to explain , but the icy glare from Wendy silenced her . She stammered , “ Okay , okay ! I’ll give it to you ! But let me just say I didn’t mean to hide it . It’s just … He’s so disgusting ! ” Wendy’s breath caught , nearly choking her with frustration . She forced herself to stay calm . Wendy had known for a while that Maddy had been hiding Joshua’s phone . It all started last year during their family trip . A lot had gone wrong , but the worst was when Joshua’s phone went missing , cutting him off from everyone . He had walked for miles , lost and trying to find his way home , until the police found him and brought him back . It had been Maddy who had secretly taken Joshua’s phone . She’d hidden it , leaving Joshua to believe he had lost it . Now , no one in the family knew that Joshua still had a phone . The thought of that made Wendy’s eyes fill with tears again . Maddy hurried to her room , grabbed a phone , and handed it to Wendy . “ Here it is ! But you can’t tell Mom , okay ? She’ll definitely blame me ! ” Wendy shot her a fierce look and snatched the phone from her hands . 7:16 pm KKKK . Chapter 22 Hidden Secrets +8 Pearl : At that moment , Wendy felt a deep realization settle in . Living in this family was like being in a nightmare -a terrifying , suffocating nightmare . She thought about their sisters ‘ Snapchat group , the cruel messages and casual jokes at Joshua’s expense . They were words that could choke someone’s spirit . Wendy hadn’t given it much thought before , but now she understood that she had been a part of it all along . She vividly remembered one day last year , during a particularly busy time at work . She was working on a company project , skipping meals because of the pressure . Joshua somehow found out and made porridge for her . He even took a cab to deliver it to her office . At the time , Wendy had been shocked and furious . She immediately called security and had him kicked out of the building . Before that , every time Joshua saw her , his face would light up . He would approach her with a smile , offering to help , asking if she was tired or hungry . Back then , Wendy had only felt annoyed by his constant presence , brushing him off . For more than three years , Joshua had been like that every time he saw her , but after that incident , he never came to see her again . And when he did see her , his once – bright eyes were filled with fear . At the time , Wendy had felt relieved . She thought she had rid herself of a troublesome brother , someone who distracted her from work . But now , looking back … She had been part of the problem , too . They always said the eldest sister was like a mother . Wendy had failed in that role . She hadn’t been there for him . Tears threatened to spill once more at that thought . Sniffling , she returned to her room , clutching Joshua’s phone . She tried to unlock it but realized it was password – protected . Without knowing the code , there was no way for her to access it . She considered finding someone to unlock it for her , but a glance outside told her that the storm had worsened . The winds howled , and it would be dangerous to go out now . Reluctantly , Wendy put the phone away , deciding to wait until the storm passed . Meanwhile , Joshua sat in his rental house , watching the storm rage outside as he worked through a stack of test papers . Chapter 22 Hidden Secrets to get into a top – tier university and earn a scholarship . 7:17 pm f Promise to Punish My Ridiculous Family